A friend of mine sent me an email this morning with some simple concerns of his overall fitness goals. He is following the metabolic diet which is like the zone/paleo regime only very cyclic and changing from day to day, but was not crossfit training. This is all besides the point. He was taking a popular fat-burning supplement that was said to strip body fat at an alarming rate, yet he was not experiencing that result.
I looked into the studies coordinating with this wonder drug, and they all quoted an enhanced level of lipolysis (fat breakdown) from supplementation of this compound. So what gives? If more fat is being broken down, shouldn't my friend being losing more body fat. NOT EXACTLY!
In our bodies fat is stored in the form of adipose tissue which is a clustering of triglycerides. Now a triglyceride is a glycerol molecule linked to three fatty acids via ester bonds (o-c=o). During lipolysis lipases coming in and cleave the ester linkage resulting in free fatty acids (FFA). Unfortunately this is only half of the picture, as the FFA's must be utilized by B-oxidation in order to be turned into ATP energy. If there is no demand for the utilization of FFA's for energy then guess what, the FFA's aren't used and eventually return back into triglycerides.
The take home message here is that you need both halves of the fat-burning equation in order to drop body fat. Unfortunately, supplements can increase lipolysis be cannot increase the rate of B-oxidation. A great way to increase B-oxidation or fat utilization, would be to increase your oxygen intake which is a result of greater mitochondrial density, which is a result of a training adaptation. And guess what, you can do all this with the CROSSFIT training regime.
So please, save that 50 dollars a month you would have spent on the latest fat-loss supplement and spend that money on quality foods to fuel your quality crossfit training.
Hildie
BTW: I commend those who has taken the time and effort to call me and ask questions. It shows me that you care about yourself and your training and that you trust me in my diagnosis.
Again you can reach me 24 hours a day at 915-694-7132 or on this blog.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Solving the complexity of the zone
Its time to be honest with ourselves! I can see it in everyone's eyes, we someone starts talking about the zone, they turn off and maybe regret talking about it because they think the zone diet is not worth all the effort. Its a valid point, going for eating random foods to measuring and weighing every morsel can seem like a daunting task and can be overwhelming. Trust me I completely understand this. As much as I am a highly disciplined individual, I sometimes question the functionality of measuring my food all the time.
One thing that we can not dispute is the quality of the foods on the zone/paleo diet: Veggies, fruits, meats and cheeses, nuts and seeds, with limited starch. All you have to do is stay away from gluten as in wheat (pasta, rice, bread, etc) and eat your fats and life is good!
Now how do we get around this idea of portioning. Obviously we want our meals to be very balanced but can we do this without a weigh scale and measuring cups? Absolutely!
If you are interested in start the zone/paleo regime, and you certainly should be if you are interested in results, I would like you to think of your plate upon which you serve you meals as a series of quadrants. One quadrant from fruit, one from veggies, one for fat, and one for your protein. They have tupperwares that do this for you can this is what stimulated my thinking.
For example, I am having a 4 block meal, no need to measure, I have 1 apple sliced, a scoop of broccoli, a chicken breast, and some peanut butter to go with my apple. Some scoops will be bigger than others, you won't always have EXACTLY the same rations. BIG DEAL! Our bodies are extremely effective at balancing water levels, hormones, ion concentrations, and metabolism.
Basically if you follow this quadrant idea in the zone/paleo diet you can expect yourself to burn body fat and increase lean muscle. "It seems too good to be true if im not exactly dailing in every calorie." Once again we want to work smarter not harder, your body will take care of the minute variance in the portions and your results will still come pouring in, as long as you keep feeding on zone/paleo foods.
I will have more information on this quadrant idea but for now give it a try. Rememeber a veggie, a fruit, a protein, and a fat with every meal. My mission with this is to stimulate awareness of the value of the zone/paleo diet and get as many people into this diet as possible. I firmly believe that this diet is the catalyst that accompanied this CROSSFIT training will bring you through the gates of fabulous results.
If you find any of my thoughts or ideas contradictory, misleading, or confusing please comment here on the blog or call me at 915-694-7132 I would love to hear from you
Hildie
One thing that we can not dispute is the quality of the foods on the zone/paleo diet: Veggies, fruits, meats and cheeses, nuts and seeds, with limited starch. All you have to do is stay away from gluten as in wheat (pasta, rice, bread, etc) and eat your fats and life is good!
Now how do we get around this idea of portioning. Obviously we want our meals to be very balanced but can we do this without a weigh scale and measuring cups? Absolutely!
If you are interested in start the zone/paleo regime, and you certainly should be if you are interested in results, I would like you to think of your plate upon which you serve you meals as a series of quadrants. One quadrant from fruit, one from veggies, one for fat, and one for your protein. They have tupperwares that do this for you can this is what stimulated my thinking.
For example, I am having a 4 block meal, no need to measure, I have 1 apple sliced, a scoop of broccoli, a chicken breast, and some peanut butter to go with my apple. Some scoops will be bigger than others, you won't always have EXACTLY the same rations. BIG DEAL! Our bodies are extremely effective at balancing water levels, hormones, ion concentrations, and metabolism.
Basically if you follow this quadrant idea in the zone/paleo diet you can expect yourself to burn body fat and increase lean muscle. "It seems too good to be true if im not exactly dailing in every calorie." Once again we want to work smarter not harder, your body will take care of the minute variance in the portions and your results will still come pouring in, as long as you keep feeding on zone/paleo foods.
I will have more information on this quadrant idea but for now give it a try. Rememeber a veggie, a fruit, a protein, and a fat with every meal. My mission with this is to stimulate awareness of the value of the zone/paleo diet and get as many people into this diet as possible. I firmly believe that this diet is the catalyst that accompanied this CROSSFIT training will bring you through the gates of fabulous results.
If you find any of my thoughts or ideas contradictory, misleading, or confusing please comment here on the blog or call me at 915-694-7132 I would love to hear from you
Hildie
Sunday, December 21, 2008
Can Exercise Help Women Produce Milk?
DISCLAIMER: This information is proprietary to Zacariah Hildenbrand, a student of science, NOT OF MEDICINE. REACT ACCORDINGLY.
Yesterday I was asked this very question from a friend of mine. I thought it was a neat little question, and one that required a little research in order to find a viable answer.
To start, woman produce milk late into their pregnancy to obviously nurse their young. Milk production or lactation is stimulated by the hormone prolactin (pro=for lactin=milk) which is then stimulated by PRH or prolactin releasing hormone. Like GH (growth hormone) prolactin is released from the hypothallamus and can be stimulated or inhibited in a number of ways.
Back to exercise. It seems the very breadth upon which we cite the crossfit regime is built upon short and intense workouts that trigger a cascade of anabolic signals which result in increased pulmonary capacity, vasodiliation, mitochondrial density and muscle cross-section, while subsequently decreasing body fat. The question is how does this relate to milk production. One thing we know is that doing a 4 minute FRAN will have your growth hormone and testosterone levels sky rocketing. Now GH has an inhibitory effect on estrogen, which is a major hormone in female development, and GH would seem to stimulate PIH (prolactin-inhibiting hormone) (very creative names), which in turn would result in no milk production.
SO WHAT GIVES? it seems like crossfit would if anything inhibit milk production because of all the anabolic hormones.
Remember our bodies are extremely efficient in regulating all of our hormones to basal levels (homeostasis) so that things don't get out of whack. For instance when Bodybuilders take steroids they are telling their bodies that it does not need to make any more natural testosterone and GH because these are coming from an exogenous source. When the meathead stops the juice, there is not testosterone production but instead their is tons of estrogen production and they end up with man boobs or gynoclamastia.
So I'm still stumped as to the increased in milk production. We know your GH are higher than prior to crossfit because you have become far more tonned and leaner so how can you be producing more milk, a situation that is generally associated with a developmental period in which estrogen levels are high and GH levels are low.
Perhaps there is a greater issue at hand. Unfortunately the inappropriate production of milk in active women, also known as hyperprolactinemia, may be a sign of a adenhypophyseal tumor. I really don't mean to frighten anyone but this is a very serious issue and requires the consultation of a medical professional.
Hildie
Yesterday I was asked this very question from a friend of mine. I thought it was a neat little question, and one that required a little research in order to find a viable answer.
To start, woman produce milk late into their pregnancy to obviously nurse their young. Milk production or lactation is stimulated by the hormone prolactin (pro=for lactin=milk) which is then stimulated by PRH or prolactin releasing hormone. Like GH (growth hormone) prolactin is released from the hypothallamus and can be stimulated or inhibited in a number of ways.
Back to exercise. It seems the very breadth upon which we cite the crossfit regime is built upon short and intense workouts that trigger a cascade of anabolic signals which result in increased pulmonary capacity, vasodiliation, mitochondrial density and muscle cross-section, while subsequently decreasing body fat. The question is how does this relate to milk production. One thing we know is that doing a 4 minute FRAN will have your growth hormone and testosterone levels sky rocketing. Now GH has an inhibitory effect on estrogen, which is a major hormone in female development, and GH would seem to stimulate PIH (prolactin-inhibiting hormone) (very creative names), which in turn would result in no milk production.
SO WHAT GIVES? it seems like crossfit would if anything inhibit milk production because of all the anabolic hormones.
Remember our bodies are extremely efficient in regulating all of our hormones to basal levels (homeostasis) so that things don't get out of whack. For instance when Bodybuilders take steroids they are telling their bodies that it does not need to make any more natural testosterone and GH because these are coming from an exogenous source. When the meathead stops the juice, there is not testosterone production but instead their is tons of estrogen production and they end up with man boobs or gynoclamastia.
So I'm still stumped as to the increased in milk production. We know your GH are higher than prior to crossfit because you have become far more tonned and leaner so how can you be producing more milk, a situation that is generally associated with a developmental period in which estrogen levels are high and GH levels are low.
Perhaps there is a greater issue at hand. Unfortunately the inappropriate production of milk in active women, also known as hyperprolactinemia, may be a sign of a adenhypophyseal tumor. I really don't mean to frighten anyone but this is a very serious issue and requires the consultation of a medical professional.
Hildie
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Questions addressed
Recently I have received a couple questions regarding the zone/paleo diet, and I wanted to address one of them here today. I was asked, "Why does eating large amount of veggies give me such horrible gas?"
The reason it is recommended to eat a large variety and quantity of veggies on the zone/paleo diet is because: 1) they are loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients
2) They are loaded with fiber and help keep us regular
3) They act as filler in a since (very low calorie density)
4) Fiber helps regulate blood glucose and resultantly, blood insulin levels
So this brings us back to our question, whats with the gas? Well its because of the fiber.
Fiber, termed cellulose, is rare form of carbohydrate in which the molecules that make up cellulose are arranged in such a way that we as humans can not break them down. For instance, Dextrose is whats called a dissaccaride which means its the product of two glucose molecules linked together. Now we can break dextrose down all day long, as is evidence by the spike in blood glucose we get after eating a candy bar. The reason we are able to do this is because we have enzymes in our bodies (mainly our mouthes) called amylases that can break down the ALPHA blond between the two glucose molecules in dextrose thus releasing them for available use.
On the other hand, cellulose is arranged such that two molecules are arranged in a BETA bond. They linkage can not be cleaved by amylase, but requires the enzyme cellulase. We as humans do not have very high levels of cellulase which is why being a strict vegiatarian is a terrible idea and causes a great deal of intestinal stress.
So what does this all mean? When we eat broccoli for instance, our bodies can not break it down very well and thus is passes right through us. This is how fiber works. Unfortunately while beings moderately broken down in the stomach, cellulose emitted methane gas which can lead to bloating and the eventual passing of gas.
So will I even become better at breaking down the cellulose in fruits and veggies and will I even stop producing gas? The real answer is no. Cows break down grass because in their rumen they have bacteria that secrate cellulase to help break down the cellulose. We do not have this luxury and nor do we want this. Cellulose is an excellent way to help us keep regular which is extremely important in maintain digestive health. By eating more cellulose our bodies may begin to move it through the digestive tract quicker which may result in more pooping by less gas. I have been eating broccoli for a long time and I still get gassy at times but I can directly correlate my athletic performance and digestive regularity to my consistent intake of cellulose.
The next question was about fat utilization and toxin release. I address this in my next post.
Cheers
The reason it is recommended to eat a large variety and quantity of veggies on the zone/paleo diet is because: 1) they are loaded with vitamins, minerals and phytonutrients
2) They are loaded with fiber and help keep us regular
3) They act as filler in a since (very low calorie density)
4) Fiber helps regulate blood glucose and resultantly, blood insulin levels
So this brings us back to our question, whats with the gas? Well its because of the fiber.
Fiber, termed cellulose, is rare form of carbohydrate in which the molecules that make up cellulose are arranged in such a way that we as humans can not break them down. For instance, Dextrose is whats called a dissaccaride which means its the product of two glucose molecules linked together. Now we can break dextrose down all day long, as is evidence by the spike in blood glucose we get after eating a candy bar. The reason we are able to do this is because we have enzymes in our bodies (mainly our mouthes) called amylases that can break down the ALPHA blond between the two glucose molecules in dextrose thus releasing them for available use.
On the other hand, cellulose is arranged such that two molecules are arranged in a BETA bond. They linkage can not be cleaved by amylase, but requires the enzyme cellulase. We as humans do not have very high levels of cellulase which is why being a strict vegiatarian is a terrible idea and causes a great deal of intestinal stress.
So what does this all mean? When we eat broccoli for instance, our bodies can not break it down very well and thus is passes right through us. This is how fiber works. Unfortunately while beings moderately broken down in the stomach, cellulose emitted methane gas which can lead to bloating and the eventual passing of gas.
So will I even become better at breaking down the cellulose in fruits and veggies and will I even stop producing gas? The real answer is no. Cows break down grass because in their rumen they have bacteria that secrate cellulase to help break down the cellulose. We do not have this luxury and nor do we want this. Cellulose is an excellent way to help us keep regular which is extremely important in maintain digestive health. By eating more cellulose our bodies may begin to move it through the digestive tract quicker which may result in more pooping by less gas. I have been eating broccoli for a long time and I still get gassy at times but I can directly correlate my athletic performance and digestive regularity to my consistent intake of cellulose.
The next question was about fat utilization and toxin release. I address this in my next post.
Cheers
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The farming workout, take 2
Today was another excellent WOD which included the interaction with my pals Bucy and David. The WOD was not timed but it likely lasted only 12 minutes or so.
We divided ourselves into 3 stations: farmers walk (32kg), tire hits (25 ib sledge), and tire flips (~50 ib tire).
We each started at a station with the 100 m farmers walk being the rate determining step. When one of us finished the walk we switched stations. We did took three turns at each station for a total of 9 completed stations.
This workout targeted mainly the back, the forearms, and the muscles of the shoulder girdle. It was fun yet painful.
We divided ourselves into 3 stations: farmers walk (32kg), tire hits (25 ib sledge), and tire flips (~50 ib tire).
We each started at a station with the 100 m farmers walk being the rate determining step. When one of us finished the walk we switched stations. We did took three turns at each station for a total of 9 completed stations.
This workout targeted mainly the back, the forearms, and the muscles of the shoulder girdle. It was fun yet painful.
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Sunday WOD
Today's workout was a wonderful mix of moderately-heavy Olympic lifts and some intense met-con training.
3 rounds:
5 reps 275 ib deadlift
5 reps burpees
5 reps 115 ib thruster
5 reps pullups
5 reps 115 ib clean and jerk
All executed with a 25 ib vest on
The man-handling lasted 11:38 and was very painful. Originally I had 5 rounds planned but the weight got to me, and going another 2 rounds i would most luckily compromise my form. Also I am trying to keep this workouts under the 14 minute range, so 3 rounds seemed to work out perfectly.
I am keeping the diet plan the same as usual but I've been giving it a lot of thinking as to how I can optimize it even further.
I plan on lifting tomorrow if my body allows it. I think that this an important thing to keep in mind. We must listen to our bodies, and when we feel our best we should hit the weights hard.
Hildie
3 rounds:
5 reps 275 ib deadlift
5 reps burpees
5 reps 115 ib thruster
5 reps pullups
5 reps 115 ib clean and jerk
All executed with a 25 ib vest on
The man-handling lasted 11:38 and was very painful. Originally I had 5 rounds planned but the weight got to me, and going another 2 rounds i would most luckily compromise my form. Also I am trying to keep this workouts under the 14 minute range, so 3 rounds seemed to work out perfectly.
I am keeping the diet plan the same as usual but I've been giving it a lot of thinking as to how I can optimize it even further.
I plan on lifting tomorrow if my body allows it. I think that this an important thing to keep in mind. We must listen to our bodies, and when we feel our best we should hit the weights hard.
Hildie
Saturday, December 13, 2008
OUT OF TOWN AT NCMI
Today is the final day of the NCMI conference and I am thrilled to be heading home later this evening. It was a great experience as I met a lot of new people (possible collaborators), and learned a bunch about the new software options available for my research. I also got to present my work on the yeast V-ATPase and I believe it was well-received.
Back to training. Over the past couple weeks I have noticed a little strength in my workouts and I thought I was in the right direction in terms of putting on quality mass. Unfortunately the food at this conference has made following the zone/paleo regime almost impossible. I have adjusted and instead of getting my blocks from just anywhere (like the pizza and shit they have offered) I have stuck to zone/paleo foods while sacficing the number of zone blocks. In other words I am still zone/paleo eating but instead of 20 blocks 5x fats I have been lurking the 14 blocks 3x the fats range.
This isn't a total disaster but I will be extremely happy to get home and get back on the plan. However, this adjustment has got me thinking. Much like the METABOLIC DIET in which the nutrient rations are cycled on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis, maybe it would be a good idea to play around with my protein blocks in order to optimize protein synthesis.
Here's what I've been thinking. Stick to the x5 fats, but alter the carb and protein blocks to harvest the rewards of protein sensitivity. So maybe throughout the week I would have 30 blocks of CHO, and 10 blocks of protein (note the add up to 40) with 5x fats. This would help raise glycogen levels and further fuel the intense workouts. Now on the weekend (friday through sunday) I would flip the switch and change my diet to 10 blocks of CHO, 30 blocks of protein, and 5x fats. I am hypothesizing that by having the protein levels low during the week and during the training I would increase protein sensitivity. Now on the weekend when I am resting I will flip the metabolic switch (cut the carbs and up the pro) and hopefully drive an enhanced mechanism of protein synthesis.
This may seem counterintuitive to some but I think this may be crazy enough to work. Remember the zone/paleo regime is an amazing way to fuel your body. By my hyperactive curiosity can't help but wonder if there isn't a way to further optimize this.
Please give me your feedback so maybe I can further consider some of the parameters before I impliment this regime.
I consider myself somewhat of a scientific consultant to CFEP and if there is any way I can serve the people better I will.
Cheers!
Back to training. Over the past couple weeks I have noticed a little strength in my workouts and I thought I was in the right direction in terms of putting on quality mass. Unfortunately the food at this conference has made following the zone/paleo regime almost impossible. I have adjusted and instead of getting my blocks from just anywhere (like the pizza and shit they have offered) I have stuck to zone/paleo foods while sacficing the number of zone blocks. In other words I am still zone/paleo eating but instead of 20 blocks 5x fats I have been lurking the 14 blocks 3x the fats range.
This isn't a total disaster but I will be extremely happy to get home and get back on the plan. However, this adjustment has got me thinking. Much like the METABOLIC DIET in which the nutrient rations are cycled on a day-to-day or week-to-week basis, maybe it would be a good idea to play around with my protein blocks in order to optimize protein synthesis.
Here's what I've been thinking. Stick to the x5 fats, but alter the carb and protein blocks to harvest the rewards of protein sensitivity. So maybe throughout the week I would have 30 blocks of CHO, and 10 blocks of protein (note the add up to 40) with 5x fats. This would help raise glycogen levels and further fuel the intense workouts. Now on the weekend (friday through sunday) I would flip the switch and change my diet to 10 blocks of CHO, 30 blocks of protein, and 5x fats. I am hypothesizing that by having the protein levels low during the week and during the training I would increase protein sensitivity. Now on the weekend when I am resting I will flip the metabolic switch (cut the carbs and up the pro) and hopefully drive an enhanced mechanism of protein synthesis.
This may seem counterintuitive to some but I think this may be crazy enough to work. Remember the zone/paleo regime is an amazing way to fuel your body. By my hyperactive curiosity can't help but wonder if there isn't a way to further optimize this.
Please give me your feedback so maybe I can further consider some of the parameters before I impliment this regime.
I consider myself somewhat of a scientific consultant to CFEP and if there is any way I can serve the people better I will.
Cheers!
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Funky weekend WODs
The past three workouts have been really hard, and looking back at them is extremely satisfying as an overwhelming sense of accomplishment washes over me. On thurday I did the heavy version of the notorious FRAN. My time was just under 9 minutes, but it was an awful experience and I wish this workout upon no one. I think I can now go out and do a sub-5 FRAN no prob.
Saturday's WOD was at the EPFD training facility and it was a ton of fun. It was short and sweet, but left me quite sore this morning.
Today I made up my own WOD which turned out to be much harder than I initially thought it was going to be. It goes like this:
(with a 25 pounds vest on)
21x 20 ib ball cleans
50 m farmers walk with 2 pood in each hand
21 pullups
50 m farmers walk back to the ball
15 ball cleans
50 m farmers walk
15 pull ups
50 m farmers walk back to the ball
9 ball cleans
50 m farmers walk
9 pull ups
50 m farmers walk
21 push ups
50 m farmers walk
21 push press (95 ib)
50 m farmers walk back to push up station
15 push ups
50 m farmers walk
15 push press
50 m farmers walk back to push up station
9 push ups
50 m farmers walk
9 push press
It was pretty awesome and it took me 18:30. The workout was a little long for what I am trying to accomplish (putting on mass) but all the farmers walking should help build up my traps and forearms.
The nutrition is still dialed in as always. I don't know any stronger or bigger but I know that I am headed in the right direction and will be putting on quality muscle in no time.
Its been a while since I put on one of my zone/paleo recipes, so here we go.
Awesome omelet and apple/pecan pie (4 blocks 5x fats)
2 whole eggs w/ 2 egg whites
2 tbsp of parmesan cheese
4 tbsp of chunky salsa
1 cup of unsweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp of lite coconut milk
1/4 cup of pecans
w/ 1 cup of 1% goats milk (sun harvest)
This is pretty much the greatest thing to eat after a tough workout.
Enjoy!
Hildie
Saturday's WOD was at the EPFD training facility and it was a ton of fun. It was short and sweet, but left me quite sore this morning.
Today I made up my own WOD which turned out to be much harder than I initially thought it was going to be. It goes like this:
(with a 25 pounds vest on)
21x 20 ib ball cleans
50 m farmers walk with 2 pood in each hand
21 pullups
50 m farmers walk back to the ball
15 ball cleans
50 m farmers walk
15 pull ups
50 m farmers walk back to the ball
9 ball cleans
50 m farmers walk
9 pull ups
50 m farmers walk
21 push ups
50 m farmers walk
21 push press (95 ib)
50 m farmers walk back to push up station
15 push ups
50 m farmers walk
15 push press
50 m farmers walk back to push up station
9 push ups
50 m farmers walk
9 push press
It was pretty awesome and it took me 18:30. The workout was a little long for what I am trying to accomplish (putting on mass) but all the farmers walking should help build up my traps and forearms.
The nutrition is still dialed in as always. I don't know any stronger or bigger but I know that I am headed in the right direction and will be putting on quality muscle in no time.
Its been a while since I put on one of my zone/paleo recipes, so here we go.
Awesome omelet and apple/pecan pie (4 blocks 5x fats)
2 whole eggs w/ 2 egg whites
2 tbsp of parmesan cheese
4 tbsp of chunky salsa
1 cup of unsweetened apple sauce
2 tbsp of lite coconut milk
1/4 cup of pecans
w/ 1 cup of 1% goats milk (sun harvest)
This is pretty much the greatest thing to eat after a tough workout.
Enjoy!
Hildie
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Short and Sweet = Simple Science
How is it that a 10 minute crossfit workout can be more beneficial to one's fitness in comparison to a 90 minute workout? How is it that by working harder for a shorter duration we are able to burn more fat and build more muscle?
The answers to these questions are MITOCHONDRIA and HORMONES.
Mitochondria are responsible for energy production by way of oxygen utilization. As more oxygen becomes available at the cellular level, more substrate (fat or carbohydrate) is broken down as a result of the increased efficiency in the bioenergetic pathways. When you go through a really tough workout like FRAN that only lasts a matter of minutes, you are uptakeing an obseen amount oxygen which throws your mitochondria into overdrive resulting in the eventual breakdown of body fat. If the mitochondria are stimulated into working at high capacities (as they are in crossfit) they will most certainly become more efficient in both oxygen and fat utilization. Furthermore, brief workouts executed at high intensity can build up a OXYGEN DEBT in which once your workout is done, your mitochondria still require elevated levels of oxygen which means further fat breakdown. This debt can continue for a matter of hours meaning 5 hours after your 4 minute FRAN you'll still be burning fat!
Also, short and increase workouts tend to result in increased lactic acid levels. This decrease in cellular pH triggers a number of muscle-building hormones like growth hormone and testosterone. Also intense exercise can lead to elevated blood calcium levels resulting in improved cardiac contraction, and calcitonin secretion further resulting in increased bone density.
If your going to train, make it short and sweet; make it crossfit.
The answers to these questions are MITOCHONDRIA and HORMONES.
Mitochondria are responsible for energy production by way of oxygen utilization. As more oxygen becomes available at the cellular level, more substrate (fat or carbohydrate) is broken down as a result of the increased efficiency in the bioenergetic pathways. When you go through a really tough workout like FRAN that only lasts a matter of minutes, you are uptakeing an obseen amount oxygen which throws your mitochondria into overdrive resulting in the eventual breakdown of body fat. If the mitochondria are stimulated into working at high capacities (as they are in crossfit) they will most certainly become more efficient in both oxygen and fat utilization. Furthermore, brief workouts executed at high intensity can build up a OXYGEN DEBT in which once your workout is done, your mitochondria still require elevated levels of oxygen which means further fat breakdown. This debt can continue for a matter of hours meaning 5 hours after your 4 minute FRAN you'll still be burning fat!
Also, short and increase workouts tend to result in increased lactic acid levels. This decrease in cellular pH triggers a number of muscle-building hormones like growth hormone and testosterone. Also intense exercise can lead to elevated blood calcium levels resulting in improved cardiac contraction, and calcitonin secretion further resulting in increased bone density.
If your going to train, make it short and sweet; make it crossfit.
Monday, December 1, 2008
Current Status
Today, after a lovely long weekend in california, I came back to EFS to hammer out a heavy lifting WOD. 10 x 1 Backsquat, deadlift and push press was the plan and I felt pretty good about reaching some PR's today. Unfortunately I only hit 1 PR in the Deadlift, and much of my technique was less than desirable.
So far with the new training and fat-enriched diet I have noticed a loss in body weight (likely fat tissue) a relative plateau of strength, but my metabolic conditioning has improved substantially. All of this is counter intuitive in that I thought I would be lots of strength, mass, and my met con would dissipate. This is just an observation not a complaint by the way, and I know with a little bit of fine tuning and the continue linear increase in zone blocks, I will begin to start putting on some beef.
I really like the heavy lifting and movement that involve functional actions like hammering or carrying heavy objects. I think if I work of Oly. lifting technique but predominately focus on other heavy movements with a weighted vest. One thing I'd like is to build up my forearms which can be accomplished with carrying heavy things and doing heavy pullups.
For now I will rest and work on getting in all my calories and passing my fall final exam.
Cheers,
Hildie
So far with the new training and fat-enriched diet I have noticed a loss in body weight (likely fat tissue) a relative plateau of strength, but my metabolic conditioning has improved substantially. All of this is counter intuitive in that I thought I would be lots of strength, mass, and my met con would dissipate. This is just an observation not a complaint by the way, and I know with a little bit of fine tuning and the continue linear increase in zone blocks, I will begin to start putting on some beef.
I really like the heavy lifting and movement that involve functional actions like hammering or carrying heavy objects. I think if I work of Oly. lifting technique but predominately focus on other heavy movements with a weighted vest. One thing I'd like is to build up my forearms which can be accomplished with carrying heavy things and doing heavy pullups.
For now I will rest and work on getting in all my calories and passing my fall final exam.
Cheers,
Hildie
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Philosophical Observations associated with my crossfit experience
For the record these statements are not organized in any particular orientation and represent the actually thought process of Zacariah L Hildenbrand.
Alot of the time I wonder why I do the things I do. Why is it that I am in school when I could be over in Europe spinning tracks and making people happy through music. Why is it that I train using the toughest workout regiment on the planet when I could stay home and do pushups and bicep curls. Why is it I eat veggies and nuts when I can have pizzza and subway. A bunch of the stuff I do doesn't really pass the test of reasonableness to our modern society but I still continue to strive towards what I think is the greatest good.
For any of you that my know me, I am not overly concerned with material goods and an arbitrary number on my bank statement. I am not interested in looking like a model or winning in the olympics either. I basically see myself as a gifted individual who trys to improve on a day-to-day basis and instill of joy or hope on other peoples lives. In science I have solved the structures of viral particles as well as enzymes associated with osteoporosis, ulcers, and rhabdomyolysis. Not bad really but if I keep going there must be more out there. I most certainly won't win a nobel prize, or make tons of money from patents but I hope that my existence has a positive impact on my peripheral surroundings.
This rant concludes with why I chose to train my body and mind with the crossfit regime. For one, I think about topics like the greatest good and purpose of existence almost all the time, and quite frankly it drives me crazy. Crossfit gives me something to concentrate on for an hour, which is a welcome relief from my constant philosophical hypertrophy. Secondly, the people I've encountered at the facility are second to none. These folks are not training and mentor the ways of the regime just to make a living, but more so to improve the daily lives of those whom they train. Knowledge is power, and in that regard the regime and the people teaching the system are the most knowledgable that I've ever ran into. I see people come in an you can see that they are working towards a better appearance which is so highly acclaimed in today's society. While looks are very superficial and don't say much about the person inside, it seems like we need to have sterling exterior in order for anyone to want to connect with us or take us seriously.
With all of this being said, I would like to leave with one closing thought. If we all give 100% to every situation, every relationship or conflict, and know that somehow are a contributing to the bigger picture, then shouldn't be have the utmost pride and feel good about ourselves all the time. A friend of my made a comment that no one is irreplaceable, that we can all be replaced at any given moment. It got me thinking. Either I'm an undereducated, disrespectful piece of shit that the world could do without or my friend is DEAD FUCKING WRONG. I don't tute my own horn or like to talk about myself, but I think that I am (am everyone for that matter) is unique and gifted with something give to society. Maybe I'll make more contributions to science, or maybe I can start a revolution to get the people in this country to eat healthier.
Who know whats going to happen, but I think thats what makes it fun. You just wake up, work hard, treat others with the utmost respect, and amazing things will happen.
In other news, I will be sporting some fresh ink in our shirtless workouts
What nature divides the spirit unites
Alot of the time I wonder why I do the things I do. Why is it that I am in school when I could be over in Europe spinning tracks and making people happy through music. Why is it that I train using the toughest workout regiment on the planet when I could stay home and do pushups and bicep curls. Why is it I eat veggies and nuts when I can have pizzza and subway. A bunch of the stuff I do doesn't really pass the test of reasonableness to our modern society but I still continue to strive towards what I think is the greatest good.
For any of you that my know me, I am not overly concerned with material goods and an arbitrary number on my bank statement. I am not interested in looking like a model or winning in the olympics either. I basically see myself as a gifted individual who trys to improve on a day-to-day basis and instill of joy or hope on other peoples lives. In science I have solved the structures of viral particles as well as enzymes associated with osteoporosis, ulcers, and rhabdomyolysis. Not bad really but if I keep going there must be more out there. I most certainly won't win a nobel prize, or make tons of money from patents but I hope that my existence has a positive impact on my peripheral surroundings.
This rant concludes with why I chose to train my body and mind with the crossfit regime. For one, I think about topics like the greatest good and purpose of existence almost all the time, and quite frankly it drives me crazy. Crossfit gives me something to concentrate on for an hour, which is a welcome relief from my constant philosophical hypertrophy. Secondly, the people I've encountered at the facility are second to none. These folks are not training and mentor the ways of the regime just to make a living, but more so to improve the daily lives of those whom they train. Knowledge is power, and in that regard the regime and the people teaching the system are the most knowledgable that I've ever ran into. I see people come in an you can see that they are working towards a better appearance which is so highly acclaimed in today's society. While looks are very superficial and don't say much about the person inside, it seems like we need to have sterling exterior in order for anyone to want to connect with us or take us seriously.
With all of this being said, I would like to leave with one closing thought. If we all give 100% to every situation, every relationship or conflict, and know that somehow are a contributing to the bigger picture, then shouldn't be have the utmost pride and feel good about ourselves all the time. A friend of my made a comment that no one is irreplaceable, that we can all be replaced at any given moment. It got me thinking. Either I'm an undereducated, disrespectful piece of shit that the world could do without or my friend is DEAD FUCKING WRONG. I don't tute my own horn or like to talk about myself, but I think that I am (am everyone for that matter) is unique and gifted with something give to society. Maybe I'll make more contributions to science, or maybe I can start a revolution to get the people in this country to eat healthier.
Who know whats going to happen, but I think thats what makes it fun. You just wake up, work hard, treat others with the utmost respect, and amazing things will happen.
In other news, I will be sporting some fresh ink in our shirtless workouts
What nature divides the spirit unites
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
25.11.08: The cornfed WOD
This morning at 7 am my comrad Justin and I worked together on a team WOD which involved alot of ackward lifting and a lot of grip strengh. The workout used a large tire which was for flipping, a 2o ib sledge hammer which was for beating the tire, and 70 pound kettle bells for doing what is commonly known as the farmers walk.
Long story short the workout lasted roughly 10 minutes which is the target duration for what we are trying to achieve, and was extremely challenging.
On another note, my diet continues to be dialed in like its my job. Its very routine right now and starting next monday I will bump up my blocks to 20 blocks 5x fats to keep the mass gain ball rolling.
I am also leaving for california tomorrow, but I won't fail off the wagon completely. I will try to stay zone/paleo for most of the trip and I will definately get a couple of quick workouts in while I'm down there. I'm sure there is a crossfit box down there somewhere, maybe I can make some new friends.
Anyways I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful thanksgiving, but if there are any questions or comments please feel free to email me.
Ciao!
Hildie
Long story short the workout lasted roughly 10 minutes which is the target duration for what we are trying to achieve, and was extremely challenging.
On another note, my diet continues to be dialed in like its my job. Its very routine right now and starting next monday I will bump up my blocks to 20 blocks 5x fats to keep the mass gain ball rolling.
I am also leaving for california tomorrow, but I won't fail off the wagon completely. I will try to stay zone/paleo for most of the trip and I will definately get a couple of quick workouts in while I'm down there. I'm sure there is a crossfit box down there somewhere, maybe I can make some new friends.
Anyways I hope everyone has a safe and wonderful thanksgiving, but if there are any questions or comments please feel free to email me.
Ciao!
Hildie
Monday, November 24, 2008
Monday 11.24.08
Today I am extremely sore. It is almost to the point where I am debilitating to function. Fortunately I am going to rest from exercise today and eat a ton of quality food.
This morning I had a hearty breakfest consisting of:
(4 blocks 5x fats): 2 whole eggs, 4 egg whites w/ salsa
1 cup of skim milk w/ 7 frozen strawberries, 3/4 cup of apple sauce and 1/3 cup of mixed nuts (blended into a delicious shake).
For lunch I plan to have (4 block 5x fats): 1 cup of ff cottage cheese w/ 3/4 cup of apple sauce
1 whole avocado (roughly 150 grams)
2 cups of steamed green beans
3 pm snack (3 blocks 5x fats): 2 light string cheese
1 mutant-sized pear w/ 3 tbsp of Naturally More peanut butter
I am hoping some slight stretching today in accordance with my high-fat diet will enable me to dominate my workout tomorrow.
An observation that I have made so far into this process is that my metabolic conditioning (met-con) is getting better but my strength hasn't improved much. Now its still early in this ball game but this observation is counterintuitive in the fact that one would think that a heavy diet full of calories would facilitate an immediate strength increase with a somewhat inversely proportional decline in met. con. performance.
This is why this is an experiment. We all have our own hypothesises and for the most part they are all consistent, but regardless of whether our hypothesis is supported or falsified, this experiment will be a tremendous success. I think between the three of us we will have the program down to a science once its all said and done which will be beneficial for the next bloak who decides to take on this challenge.
Please I urge you to give me any questions or comments regarding the material on this blog. You may think I have some good ideas or you may think I am full of shit, but I would love to get some input as to what you think. Regardless of what you think, give me a shout out on this blog or email me at zlhildenbrand@miners.utep.edu.
Peace,
Akon and yung Hildie
This morning I had a hearty breakfest consisting of:
(4 blocks 5x fats): 2 whole eggs, 4 egg whites w/ salsa
1 cup of skim milk w/ 7 frozen strawberries, 3/4 cup of apple sauce and 1/3 cup of mixed nuts (blended into a delicious shake).
For lunch I plan to have (4 block 5x fats): 1 cup of ff cottage cheese w/ 3/4 cup of apple sauce
1 whole avocado (roughly 150 grams)
2 cups of steamed green beans
3 pm snack (3 blocks 5x fats): 2 light string cheese
1 mutant-sized pear w/ 3 tbsp of Naturally More peanut butter
I am hoping some slight stretching today in accordance with my high-fat diet will enable me to dominate my workout tomorrow.
An observation that I have made so far into this process is that my metabolic conditioning (met-con) is getting better but my strength hasn't improved much. Now its still early in this ball game but this observation is counterintuitive in the fact that one would think that a heavy diet full of calories would facilitate an immediate strength increase with a somewhat inversely proportional decline in met. con. performance.
This is why this is an experiment. We all have our own hypothesises and for the most part they are all consistent, but regardless of whether our hypothesis is supported or falsified, this experiment will be a tremendous success. I think between the three of us we will have the program down to a science once its all said and done which will be beneficial for the next bloak who decides to take on this challenge.
Please I urge you to give me any questions or comments regarding the material on this blog. You may think I have some good ideas or you may think I am full of shit, but I would love to get some input as to what you think. Regardless of what you think, give me a shout out on this blog or email me at zlhildenbrand@miners.utep.edu.
Peace,
Akon and yung Hildie
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The weekend
This weekend was a welcome down time for me away from school. It gave me a chance to catch up on some work and some rest. Saturday was a speed day in which the boys and I raced each other in a series of 50-55 meter sprints. The workout was incredibly taxing and left me sore today.
Unfortunately due to my packed day on monday, I had to squeeze in the workout today without a days rest in between my last workout. I thought I was up to it and today was heavy lifting with lots of rest in between sets so I should have produced good results right?
Well initially the workout called for heavy squats, push press, and pullups. I did some warm up sets for the squats and immediately noticed that my hip flexors were totally shot from the previous bout of exercise and that this was going to affect my ability to squat a large amount of weight.
This brings me to a quick point. We are conducting an experiment in which we really have no idea how are bodies will react. That being said we have to listen to our bodies and train accordingly. So today I didn't feel like squatting was a good idea so I did thrusters and turkish get up instead.
I found the workout to be extremely effective and I was able to bang out a great deal of weight in the three exercises. Despite the deviation from the protocol I still feel confident that I am conducting my workouts and diet plan in a scientific manner. In other words I am not doing what ever I want when ever I want; we are training and eating in a dynamic fashion that is in accordance with the equilibrium of our neuromuscular, and dietary states.
With all that being said I feel good about what I accomplished today in the gym and now is time to take care of my body and rest up for my tuesday workout.
The food has been on point for the past week. I am pretty much a robot in that I eat the same foods at the same times on a day to day basis. This is no because the zone/paleo regime limits me in the this regard, but that I have found the meal combinations that I really like and are easy to prepare. I am continuing to eat plenty of fruit, veggies and nuts, with my proteins coming from dairy, eggs, and lean ground meats. All my fats are coming from eggs, nuts, avocados, olive oil, and peanut butter.
Now you may find these food choices boring or restrictive, but they are the logical options for a college student like myself who has a number of things he has to balance out throughout the day. I personally think I have a knack for making healthy delicious foods, that are quick and easy to prepare, and so I am happy to stick to my little biome of fav foods.
Hildie
Unfortunately due to my packed day on monday, I had to squeeze in the workout today without a days rest in between my last workout. I thought I was up to it and today was heavy lifting with lots of rest in between sets so I should have produced good results right?
Well initially the workout called for heavy squats, push press, and pullups. I did some warm up sets for the squats and immediately noticed that my hip flexors were totally shot from the previous bout of exercise and that this was going to affect my ability to squat a large amount of weight.
This brings me to a quick point. We are conducting an experiment in which we really have no idea how are bodies will react. That being said we have to listen to our bodies and train accordingly. So today I didn't feel like squatting was a good idea so I did thrusters and turkish get up instead.
I found the workout to be extremely effective and I was able to bang out a great deal of weight in the three exercises. Despite the deviation from the protocol I still feel confident that I am conducting my workouts and diet plan in a scientific manner. In other words I am not doing what ever I want when ever I want; we are training and eating in a dynamic fashion that is in accordance with the equilibrium of our neuromuscular, and dietary states.
With all that being said I feel good about what I accomplished today in the gym and now is time to take care of my body and rest up for my tuesday workout.
The food has been on point for the past week. I am pretty much a robot in that I eat the same foods at the same times on a day to day basis. This is no because the zone/paleo regime limits me in the this regard, but that I have found the meal combinations that I really like and are easy to prepare. I am continuing to eat plenty of fruit, veggies and nuts, with my proteins coming from dairy, eggs, and lean ground meats. All my fats are coming from eggs, nuts, avocados, olive oil, and peanut butter.
Now you may find these food choices boring or restrictive, but they are the logical options for a college student like myself who has a number of things he has to balance out throughout the day. I personally think I have a knack for making healthy delicious foods, that are quick and easy to prepare, and so I am happy to stick to my little biome of fav foods.
Hildie
Thursday, November 20, 2008
20.11.08
Yesterday was a nice relaxing rest day for me except I had a huge interview that was quite nerve racking. It was for a NSF fellowship in which the NSF would pay for my tuition and books along with a 30K annual stipend, for two whole years. I think it went as well as it could have so wish me luck!
Today I woke up and was STARVING. But instead of hitting up some pumpkin/apple sauce/nut mix, I dragged myself to the gym for the WOD. It was heavy helen today which means, 3 rounds of 250 m run, 21 kb swings 2 pood, and 12 pullups, all with a 20 ib vest on. I ripped through the first couple rounds but really struggled through the last one. Luckily the madness ended after 9:30 and I was lying on the floor about to die.
To me these workouts seems ridiculous when I'm doing them but after its all said and done I feel great and the rest of my day runs accordingly.
I am still wolfing down lots of fat and healthy proteins and carbs but somehow I am still leaning up. Don't get me wrong, I like looking cut up, but I want to put on slabs of muscle and look like my boy brock lesner.
The typical meathead would say two things about the current training/nutrition regime I am in.
1. You will never put on weight, training 10 minutes every other day. First off this is simply a retarded statement. Typically bodybuilders, and I've done this shit too, work on one muscle over the course of 1-2 hours a day. They are working a submax intensity and thus are not utilizing all of their biochemical capabilities. By training at extremely high intensitys you have you body produce tons of lactic acid which stimulated growth hormone and testosterone. You also increase vasodilation and pulmonary capacity because you are required to consume large amounts of oxygen to facilitate the exercise.
But what does this all mean. By asking your body to make drastic adaptations to facilitate the exercise you are in turn forcing a cascade of physiological changes, so that the next time you body will be better adapted to carry out the exercise. Of course in the next workout you work even harder than previously so its really a linear progression.
2. You will never put on muscle eating so little carbs and protein. I suppose I should go eat 12 pounds of chicken and 75 packets of quaker oatmeal. Give me a fucking break. First off, what I have found with the zone/paleo diet is that blood chemistry is optimized. I know this because I am able to work at higher capacities over longer durations, I never get tired during the day, I sleep better than ever, digestion health is on point, and i'm looking better than ever. Now I can do a bunch of blood work to confirm these results but I hope you get the picture. In relation to a typical bodybuilding diet I am not eating a lot of protein, but I am utilizing a steady state of low insulin and constant blood glucose to take advantage of a number of powerful bioenergetic pathways. Long story short, if you are out there and want to feel better, look better, and be a more productive human, follow a zone/paleo diet and follow the crossfit regime.
If no one comments to this I will be sad!
Hildie
Today I woke up and was STARVING. But instead of hitting up some pumpkin/apple sauce/nut mix, I dragged myself to the gym for the WOD. It was heavy helen today which means, 3 rounds of 250 m run, 21 kb swings 2 pood, and 12 pullups, all with a 20 ib vest on. I ripped through the first couple rounds but really struggled through the last one. Luckily the madness ended after 9:30 and I was lying on the floor about to die.
To me these workouts seems ridiculous when I'm doing them but after its all said and done I feel great and the rest of my day runs accordingly.
I am still wolfing down lots of fat and healthy proteins and carbs but somehow I am still leaning up. Don't get me wrong, I like looking cut up, but I want to put on slabs of muscle and look like my boy brock lesner.
The typical meathead would say two things about the current training/nutrition regime I am in.
1. You will never put on weight, training 10 minutes every other day. First off this is simply a retarded statement. Typically bodybuilders, and I've done this shit too, work on one muscle over the course of 1-2 hours a day. They are working a submax intensity and thus are not utilizing all of their biochemical capabilities. By training at extremely high intensitys you have you body produce tons of lactic acid which stimulated growth hormone and testosterone. You also increase vasodilation and pulmonary capacity because you are required to consume large amounts of oxygen to facilitate the exercise.
But what does this all mean. By asking your body to make drastic adaptations to facilitate the exercise you are in turn forcing a cascade of physiological changes, so that the next time you body will be better adapted to carry out the exercise. Of course in the next workout you work even harder than previously so its really a linear progression.
2. You will never put on muscle eating so little carbs and protein. I suppose I should go eat 12 pounds of chicken and 75 packets of quaker oatmeal. Give me a fucking break. First off, what I have found with the zone/paleo diet is that blood chemistry is optimized. I know this because I am able to work at higher capacities over longer durations, I never get tired during the day, I sleep better than ever, digestion health is on point, and i'm looking better than ever. Now I can do a bunch of blood work to confirm these results but I hope you get the picture. In relation to a typical bodybuilding diet I am not eating a lot of protein, but I am utilizing a steady state of low insulin and constant blood glucose to take advantage of a number of powerful bioenergetic pathways. Long story short, if you are out there and want to feel better, look better, and be a more productive human, follow a zone/paleo diet and follow the crossfit regime.
If no one comments to this I will be sad!
Hildie
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
18.11.08 The Gauntlet
Today I woke up and banged out a solid WOD consisting of 10x2 power cleans and the 10 minute gauntlet. The cleans were ok, I primarily worked on technique since that should come before lifting heavy ass weight. So I ended up doing sets with 155 near the end. The gauntlet was a whole new ball game. In ten minutes one is to complete as many rounds as possible of 30" box jumps, 4 plyo pushups, and 4 explosive pullups. No big deal. However I wore a 40 ib vest to make things interesting and try to recruit as many fast twitch type II muscle fibers as I could. The result.... I executed 10 semi-solid rounds in the 10 minute time frame and felt pretty good about the work I had completed. Note: I felt pretty good. By the end of the voyage I should feel more and more comfortable training at increasingly high intensity, and I;ll be able to say I gave it my all.
The food for the morning was more or less the same and looked like this:
PWO Breakfast (4 blocks 5x fats): 2 eggs 2 egg whites, 1 cup of skim milk, 1 cup of pumpkin 1/2 cup of apple sauce w/ 2/3 cup of mixed nuts
Early lunch (3 blocks 5x fats): 3 low fat string cheeses, 1 apple, 1/4 of mixed nuts
Afternoon snack (4 blocks 5x fats): 1 cup of fat free cottage cheese, 1 cup of apple sauce, 3/2 cups of italian cut green beans, 1/2 cup of mixed nuts
We can see a reoccurring trend here. I am eating a fair amount of mixed nuts. I will have some avocado and some olive oil in a salad this evening.
Mansquatch Menu Item #2
Garlic Soy Tilapia
Five 4 oz. Tilapia fillets
1 cup of soy sauce
1/4 of minced garlic
Marinate fish in soy sauce and garlic for 8 hours (before you go to work) in 9" pan. Come home and place in oven at 350 F for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!
served 5: 3 protein block, 1 fat block
Besos
The food for the morning was more or less the same and looked like this:
PWO Breakfast (4 blocks 5x fats): 2 eggs 2 egg whites, 1 cup of skim milk, 1 cup of pumpkin 1/2 cup of apple sauce w/ 2/3 cup of mixed nuts
Early lunch (3 blocks 5x fats): 3 low fat string cheeses, 1 apple, 1/4 of mixed nuts
Afternoon snack (4 blocks 5x fats): 1 cup of fat free cottage cheese, 1 cup of apple sauce, 3/2 cups of italian cut green beans, 1/2 cup of mixed nuts
We can see a reoccurring trend here. I am eating a fair amount of mixed nuts. I will have some avocado and some olive oil in a salad this evening.
Mansquatch Menu Item #2
Garlic Soy Tilapia
Five 4 oz. Tilapia fillets
1 cup of soy sauce
1/4 of minced garlic
Marinate fish in soy sauce and garlic for 8 hours (before you go to work) in 9" pan. Come home and place in oven at 350 F for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy!
served 5: 3 protein block, 1 fat block
Besos
Monday, November 17, 2008
Feeding the Mansquatch 17.11.08
As I alluded to earlier, I have now kicked it up a notch and increased my zone/paleo blocks to 18 5x fats. It seems like a small increase (2 eggs and an apple) but the extra fat may wear me down after a while.
So here is what I plan of eating today:
Breakfast (4 blocks 5x fat): 2 eggs 2 egg whites, 1 cup of pumpkin w/ 1/2 cup of apple sauce w/ 1/4 cup of mixed nuts and 1 cup of skim milk
Mid-morning lunch (4 blocks 5x fats): 4 cups of broccoli, 1 whole avocado, 1 apple, 6oz of leftover salmon (jackpot!)
Late afternoon lunch (4blocks 5x fats): 4 cups of milk 1/2 cup of mixed nuts
Dinner (4 blocks 5x fats): 4 oz ground lean ground beef w/ large salad (olive oli dressing) and 1 pear
Snack (4 blocks 5x fats): 1/4 of mixed nuts 1/2 cup of fat free cottage cheese w/ 3/4 cup of apple sauce
This is a TON of food, but the workouts are going to be awful and this meal plan will help me fuel the short but intense beatings.
Remember folks the goal is to be 210 ibs come feb 11th. I am still 180 and have a long ways to go!
Hildie
So here is what I plan of eating today:
Breakfast (4 blocks 5x fat): 2 eggs 2 egg whites, 1 cup of pumpkin w/ 1/2 cup of apple sauce w/ 1/4 cup of mixed nuts and 1 cup of skim milk
Mid-morning lunch (4 blocks 5x fats): 4 cups of broccoli, 1 whole avocado, 1 apple, 6oz of leftover salmon (jackpot!)
Late afternoon lunch (4blocks 5x fats): 4 cups of milk 1/2 cup of mixed nuts
Dinner (4 blocks 5x fats): 4 oz ground lean ground beef w/ large salad (olive oli dressing) and 1 pear
Snack (4 blocks 5x fats): 1/4 of mixed nuts 1/2 cup of fat free cottage cheese w/ 3/4 cup of apple sauce
This is a TON of food, but the workouts are going to be awful and this meal plan will help me fuel the short but intense beatings.
Remember folks the goal is to be 210 ibs come feb 11th. I am still 180 and have a long ways to go!
Hildie
Sunday, November 16, 2008
16.11.08 NEW TRAINING PLAN
Today I woke up had a nice little breakfast (2 blocks 5 x fats) which included 1 cup of skim milk, 7 frozen strawberries and 1/4 fat free cottage cheese blended with 1/4 of almonds.
I started the new training regime with is designed to optimize the anabolic (tissue building or synthesis) conditions I have set forth with my new diet. The program is going to be similar to normal crossfit with some metabolic training but the intensity is going to be jacked up and the duration cut down.
So the plan for today's workout was to to 7 sets of 3 reps of back squats, push press and deadlift. On paper this workout seems pretty easy since you can rest as much as you want in between sets. Contrary to this belief, I quickly learned that the enormous amount of neuromuscular stimulation was going to be quite overwhelming.
That being said, unfortunately I didn't make it through all 7 sets, I only got 5. In fact after 2 I was exhausted and could have called it a day.
So here are my numbers
Back squat (3 reps) 225-235-245-255-255
Push press (3 reps) 155-165-165-165-155
Deadlift (3 reps) 315-315-325-325-325
This bout of exercise took roughly 75 minutes and left me deflated. I will not be training until tuesday which makes me happy as tomorrow I will rest and pump my block intake up to 18 blocks with 5x the fats.
Cheers,
Mansquatch
I started the new training regime with is designed to optimize the anabolic (tissue building or synthesis) conditions I have set forth with my new diet. The program is going to be similar to normal crossfit with some metabolic training but the intensity is going to be jacked up and the duration cut down.
So the plan for today's workout was to to 7 sets of 3 reps of back squats, push press and deadlift. On paper this workout seems pretty easy since you can rest as much as you want in between sets. Contrary to this belief, I quickly learned that the enormous amount of neuromuscular stimulation was going to be quite overwhelming.
That being said, unfortunately I didn't make it through all 7 sets, I only got 5. In fact after 2 I was exhausted and could have called it a day.
So here are my numbers
Back squat (3 reps) 225-235-245-255-255
Push press (3 reps) 155-165-165-165-155
Deadlift (3 reps) 315-315-325-325-325
This bout of exercise took roughly 75 minutes and left me deflated. I will not be training until tuesday which makes me happy as tomorrow I will rest and pump my block intake up to 18 blocks with 5x the fats.
Cheers,
Mansquatch
Saturday, November 15, 2008
15.11.08
Yesterday was rough. I was starved the whole day and was looking forward to getting back to eating 5x the fat with every zone meal. For breakfast this morning I had a nice 4 block 5x fat meal:
1/2 fat free cottage cheese, 1 cup of pumpkin, 2 egg omelet with diced veggies, and 1/4 of mixed nuts.
Next is was off to the work out today. We did a WOD called Ryan, it was pretty tough and it took me roughly 14 and 1 half minutes. After the workout I came home to a nice lunch which consisted of:
4 oz. chicken breast
1 cup of pumpkin w/ 1 cup of apple sauce 2 4tbsp of peanuts and 1 splenda (god bless artificial sweeteners) .
So for the rest of the day I am going to relax and do some reading and hopefully catch the big UFC fight.
Here is the first of many depositions on my blog of some personal recipes that I have created that are delicious and zone/paleo nutritious.
Recipe #1: Poor man's chicken stir fry (2 blocks 5x fats)
2 cups of broccoli
2 oz. boneless, skinless chicken
1 tsp garlic
1 bell pepper
1 tbsp of crushed peanuts
1/2 tbsp of garlic flavored olive oil
Asian seasonings to taste
If you just want a 2 block zone meal without the 5x fat just lubricate you pan or wok with pan instead of olive oil. Start with the peanuts, garlic and broccoli then once they have broken down a little add you chicken and bell pepper. Season right become serving.
This recipe costs roughly 2 bucks for the ingredients and takes 7 minutes to prepare.
More zone friendly-affordable-delicious meals to come.
Once again, if you have any questions I will gladly address them is future posts.
Cheers,
Mansquatch
1/2 fat free cottage cheese, 1 cup of pumpkin, 2 egg omelet with diced veggies, and 1/4 of mixed nuts.
Next is was off to the work out today. We did a WOD called Ryan, it was pretty tough and it took me roughly 14 and 1 half minutes. After the workout I came home to a nice lunch which consisted of:
4 oz. chicken breast
1 cup of pumpkin w/ 1 cup of apple sauce 2 4tbsp of peanuts and 1 splenda (god bless artificial sweeteners) .
So for the rest of the day I am going to relax and do some reading and hopefully catch the big UFC fight.
Here is the first of many depositions on my blog of some personal recipes that I have created that are delicious and zone/paleo nutritious.
Recipe #1: Poor man's chicken stir fry (2 blocks 5x fats)
2 cups of broccoli
2 oz. boneless, skinless chicken
1 tsp garlic
1 bell pepper
1 tbsp of crushed peanuts
1/2 tbsp of garlic flavored olive oil
Asian seasonings to taste
If you just want a 2 block zone meal without the 5x fat just lubricate you pan or wok with pan instead of olive oil. Start with the peanuts, garlic and broccoli then once they have broken down a little add you chicken and bell pepper. Season right become serving.
This recipe costs roughly 2 bucks for the ingredients and takes 7 minutes to prepare.
More zone friendly-affordable-delicious meals to come.
Once again, if you have any questions I will gladly address them is future posts.
Cheers,
Mansquatch
Friday, November 14, 2008
Rest day but experienceing DOMS
Just had my micrsostructure exam and I think it went pretty well. Today I will enjoy some rest (no exercise) and get back to eating 16 blocks with single fats. I think this will be a rough day because all of a sudden the fats that were giving me the wonderful full feeling, are gone.
I am also experiencing DOMS or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. This isn't because of the high lactic acid cencentrations I endured during yesterdays FGB, and its not because of a possible acid-base imbalance in my fat-ridden diet. No DOMS is due to microdamage in the myofibrils of my muscles. Whenever we workout and lift something that we are not used to our bodies take of this stress and incur some slight damage. Luckily this is a good thing because just a the micro damage can occur, so can the repair. This is a compensatory mechanism as our repair themselves to take on the same workout, load, or challenge. Also this is basically how we put on muscle or our muscles swell up. The more damage the fibers incur the more likely they will grow back larger than prior to their damaged state.
So all that being said I welcome my soreness. Right now I am going to have a pear and 2 cheese sticks and then read about the wonderful world of gene applification (boooo).
Any questions, comments, concerns or criticisms are gladly welcomed!
Zac
I am also experiencing DOMS or Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness. This isn't because of the high lactic acid cencentrations I endured during yesterdays FGB, and its not because of a possible acid-base imbalance in my fat-ridden diet. No DOMS is due to microdamage in the myofibrils of my muscles. Whenever we workout and lift something that we are not used to our bodies take of this stress and incur some slight damage. Luckily this is a good thing because just a the micro damage can occur, so can the repair. This is a compensatory mechanism as our repair themselves to take on the same workout, load, or challenge. Also this is basically how we put on muscle or our muscles swell up. The more damage the fibers incur the more likely they will grow back larger than prior to their damaged state.
So all that being said I welcome my soreness. Right now I am going to have a pear and 2 cheese sticks and then read about the wonderful world of gene applification (boooo).
Any questions, comments, concerns or criticisms are gladly welcomed!
Zac
Thursday, November 13, 2008
13.11.08 WOD
I am not in my lab waiting for my e. coli to grow, so I'll tell you about this mornings WOD. Today I did the notorious FIGHT GONE BAD, with the intentions of finally cracking 300 for the 3 round challenge. This thinking was somewhat counter-intuitive since my diet has changed significantly and I feel less than prime.
However I got after it today and somehow pulled out a new PR of 308, which is up from 298 in my previous attempt. It should also be noted that in my previous go at FGB I also used a shorter box than the one I used today, so today's performance was an advancement on many levels.
Tomorrow will be a well-deserved rest day in which I will be droping the fat blocks down to just 1X to give my body a break from all that mass-gaining fat. I also have an exam in my microstructure class which I am not looking forward to, I'd rather do Fran!
All the best,
Besos,
Mansquatch
However I got after it today and somehow pulled out a new PR of 308, which is up from 298 in my previous attempt. It should also be noted that in my previous go at FGB I also used a shorter box than the one I used today, so today's performance was an advancement on many levels.
Tomorrow will be a well-deserved rest day in which I will be droping the fat blocks down to just 1X to give my body a break from all that mass-gaining fat. I also have an exam in my microstructure class which I am not looking forward to, I'd rather do Fran!
All the best,
Besos,
Mansquatch
12.11.08
Yesterday was more of the same. I did a workout that entailed 25 pushups, 25 pullsups, 25 burpees for 5 rounds for time. I did it in 26:30 which isn't bad but not great either. I have felt average in my workouts for quite some time now. I guess I am waiting for a tough workout which I just breeze through, which will not happen in crossfit.
Here is what I ate on wednesday. Please note that this is a really strict diet with the primary focus on gaining lean tissue (slabs of plumpy muscle). If you are reading this and would like to follow a diet with the goal of weight loss in mind, eat the fruits and veggies but just curtail the fat consumption to a small fraction. I am eating 5 times the fat I usually would so maybe follow this and eat 20% the fats I have listed, if you have fat loss in mind.
Post-workout Breakfast (4 block): 1 cup of pumpkin, 1/2 cup of apple sauce w/ 1 splenda
1 cup of skim milk and 2 tbsp of peanut butter
2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites
1/4 cup of cashews
Lunch (4block): 1 whole avocado w/ 4 oz. of 96% lean ground beef
4 cups of broccoli w/ 2 tbsp of olive oil-based dressing
1/2 cup of pumpkin w 1/2 cup of apple sauce
Snack (2 block): 2 sting cheeses, 1 pear, 1/4 cashews
Dinner (4 blocks): 4 oz. of chicken cooked in 1/2 onion, 2 tbsp of peanuts, and 1/2 tbsp of olive oil (garlic flavored)
1 cucumber, 2 roma tomatoes, 1/2 tbsp of olive oil all mixed together with 2 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese
desser: 1/2 apple w/ chili and lime juice (I have a mexican girlfriend)
Snack (2 blocks): 1/2 cup of fat free cottage cheese, 1 apple, and 1/4 smoked almonds
I hope this helps enyone out there who is curious about nutrition or would like to amplify their performance. I will gladly take any questions and address them in future posts.
Cheers,
Zac
Here is what I ate on wednesday. Please note that this is a really strict diet with the primary focus on gaining lean tissue (slabs of plumpy muscle). If you are reading this and would like to follow a diet with the goal of weight loss in mind, eat the fruits and veggies but just curtail the fat consumption to a small fraction. I am eating 5 times the fat I usually would so maybe follow this and eat 20% the fats I have listed, if you have fat loss in mind.
Post-workout Breakfast (4 block): 1 cup of pumpkin, 1/2 cup of apple sauce w/ 1 splenda
1 cup of skim milk and 2 tbsp of peanut butter
2 whole eggs and 2 egg whites
1/4 cup of cashews
Lunch (4block): 1 whole avocado w/ 4 oz. of 96% lean ground beef
4 cups of broccoli w/ 2 tbsp of olive oil-based dressing
1/2 cup of pumpkin w 1/2 cup of apple sauce
Snack (2 block): 2 sting cheeses, 1 pear, 1/4 cashews
Dinner (4 blocks): 4 oz. of chicken cooked in 1/2 onion, 2 tbsp of peanuts, and 1/2 tbsp of olive oil (garlic flavored)
1 cucumber, 2 roma tomatoes, 1/2 tbsp of olive oil all mixed together with 2 tbsp of grated parmesan cheese
desser: 1/2 apple w/ chili and lime juice (I have a mexican girlfriend)
Snack (2 blocks): 1/2 cup of fat free cottage cheese, 1 apple, and 1/4 smoked almonds
I hope this helps enyone out there who is curious about nutrition or would like to amplify their performance. I will gladly take any questions and address them in future posts.
Cheers,
Zac
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
Meals of 11.11.08
The WOD yesterday for my was power cleans, which I alluded to previously, but here is a quick list of the foods I ate. I think I will be able to get through this high fat diet, but so far I am noticing some gastrointestinal stress. I am pretty gassy, which is not good, and I have to go to the bathroom quite frequently. As my body adapts to the new diet I think the results will coming pouring in and I will start to gaining some strength and muscularity.
So heres what fueled the mansquatch yesterday:
Postworkout (4blocks 5x fats) 1 cup of pumpkin w/ splenda and cinnamon
2 whole eggs + 2 egg white omelet w/ 1 cheese stick
1 cup of milk w/ 7 frozen strawberries blended together w/ 3 tbsp of simply the best peanut butter (get this stuff at walmart its unreal)
Lunch (4 blocks 5x fats) 1 whole avocado
4 cups of broccoli with olive oil-based dressing
1 cup of no sugar added apple sauce mixed w/ 1 cup of fat free cotttage cheese (delicious)
Snack (2 blocks 5x fats) 2 cheese sticks, 1 apple, 1/4 of cashews
dindin (4 blocks 5x fats) 6 cups of lettuce w/ salad dressing
2 whole eggs + 4 egg whites
1 apple
3 tbsp of simply the best pb (honestly go buy this stuff)
Snack (2 blocks 5x fats) 4 cups of broccoli with cheese sauce
1/4 cup of almonds
1/2 of fat free cottage cheese
There you have it folks!
Chime in on what you think
So heres what fueled the mansquatch yesterday:
Postworkout (4blocks 5x fats) 1 cup of pumpkin w/ splenda and cinnamon
2 whole eggs + 2 egg white omelet w/ 1 cheese stick
1 cup of milk w/ 7 frozen strawberries blended together w/ 3 tbsp of simply the best peanut butter (get this stuff at walmart its unreal)
Lunch (4 blocks 5x fats) 1 whole avocado
4 cups of broccoli with olive oil-based dressing
1 cup of no sugar added apple sauce mixed w/ 1 cup of fat free cotttage cheese (delicious)
Snack (2 blocks 5x fats) 2 cheese sticks, 1 apple, 1/4 of cashews
dindin (4 blocks 5x fats) 6 cups of lettuce w/ salad dressing
2 whole eggs + 4 egg whites
1 apple
3 tbsp of simply the best pb (honestly go buy this stuff)
Snack (2 blocks 5x fats) 4 cups of broccoli with cheese sauce
1/4 cup of almonds
1/2 of fat free cottage cheese
There you have it folks!
Chime in on what you think
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Veterens day/Rememberance Day (Canada)
To all of those who have fallen and to those who has risked it all on our behalfs, I salute you.
To CWO Kenneth King of the US MARINES, you are doing us all very proud!
On a lighter note, today before class I came in a worked on my power cleans. My technique is certaintly not textbook and the resulting weight I lifted showed that. I executed 7 singles at 185 ibs which is ok but certainly not breathtaking. I think once the new diet kicks in I will feel great and my lifts will improve exponentially.
All the best,
Hildie
To CWO Kenneth King of the US MARINES, you are doing us all very proud!
On a lighter note, today before class I came in a worked on my power cleans. My technique is certaintly not textbook and the resulting weight I lifted showed that. I executed 7 singles at 185 ibs which is ok but certainly not breathtaking. I think once the new diet kicks in I will feel great and my lifts will improve exponentially.
All the best,
Hildie
Monday, November 10, 2008
Botched Calculations
Some how I ended up eating 10x zone blocks. I remembered that a protein block carried 1.5 g fat, so in actuality a complete P/F/C block contains 3.0g of fat. What I did was multiple the 3.0 by 5 with every meal and not the 1.5. Right now I am feeling awful with noticeable gastrointestinal stress. My miscalculation may result in a poor workout tomorrow be we will have to wait and see.
In all honesty I think I should be able to handle this new diet now that I have revealed my retarded mistake.
I will keep you posted with how my next couple days of feeding turn out.
Cheers!
In all honesty I think I should be able to handle this new diet now that I have revealed my retarded mistake.
I will keep you posted with how my next couple days of feeding turn out.
Cheers!
Starting mass gain diet 10.11.08
I am starting a new diet in hopes of gaining some quality weight. Luckily it is winter, so I won't have to show off my newly-acquired dinner rolls anytime soon!
So here is the schematic: week one (test): 16 blocks of CHO and PRO w/ 80 blocks of fat
First couple meals of the day: (1) 2 eggs, 1 apple, 4 tbsp of simply the best peanut butter (which is fucking awesome)
(2) 2 cups of broccoli, 1 apple, 3 oz lean turkey, 1 avocado (whole!), and 1/4 cup of assorted nuts
(3) 3/4 cup of ff cottage cheese, 1 cup of sf apple sauce, 3/4 cup of almonds!
Its alot of fat but lets home this helps the mansqautch get swole!
Cheers!
So here is the schematic: week one (test): 16 blocks of CHO and PRO w/ 80 blocks of fat
First couple meals of the day: (1) 2 eggs, 1 apple, 4 tbsp of simply the best peanut butter (which is fucking awesome)
(2) 2 cups of broccoli, 1 apple, 3 oz lean turkey, 1 avocado (whole!), and 1/4 cup of assorted nuts
(3) 3/4 cup of ff cottage cheese, 1 cup of sf apple sauce, 3/4 cup of almonds!
Its alot of fat but lets home this helps the mansqautch get swole!
Cheers!
Mansqautch Menifesto
With the advice from my David, I have developed this blog in hopes of collaborating, networking, and helping those who care to take my advice to heart. I loved to talk about science, crossfit training, zone dieting, music, or anything.
Feel free to speak from your heart and take my breath away with your mind.
Cheers
Feel free to speak from your heart and take my breath away with your mind.
Cheers
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
